Dancing Rainbow People In The Snow, On A Fan Lamp

Two More Views of the Dancing Rainbow People

These are two more views of the same Dancing Rainbow People piece. I just wanted to see them with different lighting. Too bad I didn’t think to raise the screen (snow pic) or put something white or cloudy behind the glass (fan lamp pic). But, they’re just for fun. Enjoy!  (snow photo March 2, 2009)

In The Snow

On A Fan Lamp

Nightlights in Pink and Yellow

Here are the latest night lights. These were born after the short blue night lights.

Pink and Yellow People (on loan to a friend in the hospital)

Baby Shower Gift for use in a nursery decorated with pink and yellow

For sale in the silent auction at the local UU church Feb 21st

Short Blue Nightlights (revisiting an earlier design)

I finished a couple of blue night lights February 9th. They’re similar to night lights already posted, but they’re short.

At first, I thought they’d be cute. But, I think they need a little height so the bulb does not show when you’re standing near it. I gave these to the kids for their bedrooms. They like them.   (Two night lights are shown here.)

Three Green Night Lights – up close and personal

As promised, here are some individual photos of the green night lights (some with the lights on):

Pursuing the Happiness Factor

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That Spark of Joy That Comes From Creating Something

I wrote the other day about wanting to find the happiness in the midst of a difficult time, and of that spark of joy I feel when I create something. That day I decided to make a night light, my first one, simply because it seemed like something I could do quickly. I wanted to do something that would give me a bit of the joy I feel when I create.

The Joy From Creating This Week Is A Bonus

The external factors in my life this week are much happier than those I experienced recently. So this week, when I began a new stained glass nightlight, the spark of joy was a bonus. This week, I have had much to be happy about and much to be grateful for. The spark of joy from creating is a bonus, but it is still a joy.

I made this night light for my sister for her birthday.

I’ve not given it to her yet, but she does not read this blog, so I feel pretty safe in posting it! I don’t think she’ll see it before I give it to her (at a future date).

The front is a thick milky-blue cathedral glass. (If I’ve described this incorrectly, someone feel free to say so.) The corners are small clear glass pebbles (again, I should run this by someone to be sure I’m saying the correct words). They’re flat on the back and rounded on the front, and they’re not uniform in shape or size. The side panels are purple with no other color. They’re just colored glass with no special texture, and the color is light enough that the bulb can be easily seen through the glass.

dhconcerts

Making My First Night Light

Now I can see why I lost my sense of calm and peace of mind. I’ve not worked with glass since June 2008.

I’ve been feeling overly stressed, exceedingly tired and very sad lately. My life is much too busy (all my doing), and much too stressful (some is my doing). Yesterday evening, I decided to take a few minutes and just LOOK at the pieces of glass I have waiting to be made into something.

Looking at the glass. Feeling the texure.

I took out the pieces of glass and looked at each piece of glass, one at a time. I held each one up to the light to see how it looked with light shining through.

“Nightlights are easy enough,” I thought.

I have a handful of night lights and metal bands that connect the glass to the part that holds the bulb and plugs into the wall. I decided to make a little nightlight. It would be simple enough.

Red Granite and Bevels

I cut a small piece of red granite glass, equal to the size of the bevels I had, and put them all together.

A Spark of Happiness

It’s not perfect. It’s my first one.  It’s a very simple design. And, the bevels are scratched. I knew that when I started. It was just a practice piece. But, just doing it felt wonderful. I don’t FEEL wonderful, but working with the glass allowed me to feel that spark  of happiness that will help me get back to myself and generally good state of happiness and well-being.

Work With Glass Every Day?

I’m pretty sure I won’t do that. I keep myself too busy. But, I do know that doing something creative keeps me at my best. It makes me happy from the inside out.

Two views of my first night light

It looks better in person. But, this will give an idea of what it looks like.

Making My Heart Happy: Feeling Sad and Making My First Night Light

Candle Vases

Here are the candle vases I’ve made during this recent flurry of glass work. They’re all made with bevels, copper foil and solder.

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There are two small vases and one large vase. The large one is not yet finished. It needs a base in it. In the photo, you’ll see the candle in a plastic lid, but I wanted to show the play of the light on the wooden table. So, I’m including the photo now.

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You Want the Scoop? Here are the details. All of these designs are ones I created this week.

In the last post, you saw photos of groups of stained glass items I made this week. All of these designs are ones I created this week. (All except the blue star. The star is not my design. All the rest are my designs.)

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Here are some photos of individual pieces. I photographed most of them with the sky behind and a flash of light hitting them from the front. The flash showed the silver color of the solder, but it also made some of the glass look like it has white flecks on it. I’m posting these anyway, because overall, I’m pleased with how they look.

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Ten Original Rainbow Suncatchers

Three Angels

There are more angels in waiting, but these are the only ones I’ve finished so far.

Five More Glass and Mirror Suncatchers

Seven Fun-Filled Days At Mom and Pop’s Stained Glass Camp

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have a lot of time on my hands. This week, without the usual responsibilities, I had the opportunity to spend a week at Mom and Pop’s Stained Glass Camp.

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There really is no such place, not that I know of, but it seems a fun way to describe a week visiting family. I really had almost nothing to do other than eat, sleep, visit and work on stained glass pieces.

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It was fun! Here’s what I did:

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…. more photos to come soon!

Travel Back In Time With Me, If You Will, To Three Weeks Ago

You’ve already seen the suncatchers I made in the week prior to June 1, 2008. The week before that, the one we’re visiting now, was the week of the return to glass (for the 1st time since last summer).

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In that week, I made five stars of gluechip glass. I made two beveled candleholders (for tiny candles). And, I made four suncatchers of mirrored pieces. These are the glass items in the photos below.

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